Transparent Pricing for Courts-Martial & Military Defense

If you are searching:

  • how much does a court-martial lawyer cost

  • military defense lawyer cost

  • Article 15 lawyer price

  • administrative separation board attorney fees

You are likely facing one of the most serious moments of your military career.

Let’s be clear.

A court-martial is not an HR matter.

It is a federal criminal trial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

It involves:

  • Investigators

  • Trial counsel (prosecutors)

  • Military judges

  • Expert witnesses

  • Government resources

Your defense must match that structure.

At National Security Law Firm, we believe in transparent, flat-fee pricing for military criminal defense. We do not use hourly billing in high-stakes UCMJ litigation. You should know the cost of your defense from the beginning.

Our pricing reflects:

  • Former military judges

  • Former military prosecutors

  • A former United States Attorney

  • Full litigation preparation

  • Institutional strategy

We are not a volume intake firm.

We are a litigation unit.

How Much Does a Court-Martial Lawyer Cost?

The cost of a court-martial lawyer depends on:

  • Level of court-martial

  • Number and severity of charges

  • Expert witness needs

  • Motion practice intensity

  • Travel requirements

  • Trial duration

Military criminal defense is federal trial work.

And federal trial work requires serious preparation.

Below is our flat-fee structure.

General Court-Martial

Representation begins at $25,000.

Highly complex cases — including serious felony-level allegations such as sexual assault, aggravated assault, major fraud, or national security-related offenses — may range up to $50,000, depending on scope and litigation demands.

General Court-Martial defense typically involves:

  • Article 32 litigation

  • Full evidentiary review

  • Suppression motions

  • Digital forensic analysis

  • Expert witness strategy

  • Cross-examination development

  • Sentencing mitigation planning

  • Appellate issue preservation

We prepare every General Court-Martial as if it will go to verdict.

Because prosecutors negotiate differently when they know you are trial-ready.

Special Court-Martial

Special Court-Martial representation is structured similarly to General Court-Martial representation.

Although maximum punishments differ, the preparation and litigation demands are often comparable.

Fees typically fall on the lower end of the General Court-Martial range depending on complexity.

We do not discount preparation simply because the forum is labeled “Special.”

A Special Court-Martial can still result in:

  • Confinement

  • Bad Conduct Discharge

  • Career-ending consequences

It requires full strategic preparation.

Summary Court-Martial

Flat Fee: $5,000

Service members do not have the right to civilian counsel to appear at a Summary Court-Martial.

However, strategic preparation remains critical.

We provide:

  • Full case analysis

  • Risk assessment

  • Mitigation preparation

  • Tactical advisement

  • Written submissions

  • Long-term record protection strategy

Even a Summary Court-Martial can affect promotion, reenlistment, and clearance exposure.

Preparation matters.

Court-Martial Appeals

Flat Fee: $15,000

Appellate defense is not simply “filing paperwork.”

It involves:

  • Full record of trial review

  • Identification of preserved and unpreserved error

  • Legal research and briefing

  • Strategic framing for service Courts of Criminal Appeals

  • Consideration of CAAF and Supreme Court review

As former judges and prosecutors, we understand how appellate courts evaluate military cases.

Appellate litigation must be strategic from trial forward.

Article 15 / Non-Judicial Punishment

Flat Fee: $5,000

This includes:

  • Comprehensive case analysis

  • Strategic advisement on whether to accept NJP or demand court-martial

  • Mitigation development

  • Written submissions

  • Hearing preparation

If you elect to demand trial based on our advice, the $5,000 is credited toward full court-martial representation.

This structure reflects reality.

Article 15 often becomes the gateway to litigation.

We plan accordingly.

Administrative Separation Board & Board of Inquiry

Flat Fee: $9,995
Travel expenses capped at $1,500 (airfare, rental vehicle, parking — no inflated per diem structures).

If your command is seeking an Other Than Honorable (OTH) discharge:

We guarantee you will receive at least a General Under Honorable Conditions discharge (or better) — or we refund 100% of your money.

That guarantee reflects confidence in our preparation and trial strategy.

Administrative boards determine:

  • Whether you remain in service

  • Your discharge characterization

  • Your retirement eligibility

  • Your future employment viability

We treat them accordingly.

Why Civilian Military Defense Costs More Than TDS

You are entitled to detailed military defense counsel.

But military defense offices are often:

  • Under-resourced

  • Overloaded

  • Structurally limited

Civilian military defense provides:

  • Independent strategy

  • Dedicated preparation time

  • Institutional collaboration

  • Trial-first posture

When you hire National Security Law Firm, you are not hiring a single former JAG.

You are retaining:

  • Several former military judges

  • Former prosecutors who built UCMJ cases

  • A former United States Attorney

  • A collaborative Attorney Review Board

The government is organized.

Your defense must be stronger.

Payment Plans & Legal Financing

Serious defense requires serious preparation — but we understand that timing matters.

National Security Law Firm offers flexible payment plans through legal financing, allowing clients to spread fees over time. Financing options are available for most major representations.

You can learn more about available payment plans here:
👉 NSLF Payment Plans/Legal Financing

What Other Firms Charge for Court-Martial Defense

Across the country, civilian military defense fees often range:

  • $20,000 – $60,000 for General Court-Martial

  • $10,000 – $40,000 for Special Court-Martial

  • $5,000 – $15,000 for Administrative Boards

Firms that charge significantly less often:

  • Do not prepare cases for trial

  • Rely on plea-heavy models

  • Practice across unrelated areas of law

  • Lack prior judicial or prosecutorial experience

Military criminal defense is not a commodity.

It is federal litigation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Court-Martial Lawyer Cost

How much does a court-martial lawyer cost?

General Court-Martial representation typically ranges from $25,000 to $50,000 depending on complexity. Special Court-Martial cases fall within a similar but often lower range.

Why are court-martial lawyers expensive?

Because courts-martial are federal criminal trials requiring:

  • Investigation

  • Motion practice

  • Expert coordination

  • Full litigation strategy

They are not administrative hearings.

Is hiring a civilian military lawyer worth it?

In serious cases, yes. Civilian counsel provides independent strategy, full preparation time, and institutional litigation experience that detailed defense offices often cannot.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes. We offer structured legal financing options to allow clients to spread fees over time.

Is the $5,000 Article 15 fee credited if I demand court-martial?

Yes. If you demand trial based on our advice, the fee is credited toward full court-martial representation.

What happens if I lose my Administrative Separation Board?

If the command is seeking an Other Than Honorable discharge and we do not secure at least a General discharge or better, we refund 100% of the board representation fee.

Are these flat fees or hourly?

These are flat fees. You know the cost of representation from the beginning.

Facing a Court-Martial or UCMJ Investigation?

If you are under investigation, charged under the UCMJ, or facing a court-martial, this is not the time for guesswork.

A court-martial is a federal criminal proceeding. The decisions you make early — what you say, who you speak to, whether you demand trial, whether you hire civilian counsel — can permanently affect your freedom, career, retirement, and reputation.

Before you move forward, review our full Court Martial Lawyer practice page:

👉 Court Martial Lawyer | Military Defense & UCMJ Attorneys Nationwide

There, you’ll learn:

  • How General, Special, and Summary Courts-Martial differ
  • What happens at an Article 32 hearing
  • Why hiring a civilian military defense lawyer changes leverage
  • How former military judges and prosecutors evaluate cases
  • How court-martial exposure intersects with separation, GOMORs, and security clearances
  • What makes a defense team structurally stronger than the government

When you are facing the full power of the United States military justice system, experience matters — but structure matters more.

The government is organized.

Your defense must be stronger.

Why Service Members Nationwide Choose National Security Law Firm

When you are facing the power of the United States government, experience alone is not enough.

Structure matters.
Perspective matters.
Authority matters.

National Security Law Firm was built differently.

We are not a solo former JAG practice.
We are not a volume-based intake firm.
We are not a one-attorney operation.

We are a litigation team.

Former Prosecutors. Former Military Judges. Federal Trial Leadership.

Our military defense practice includes:

  • Former military JAG prosecutors who built UCMJ cases
  • Several former military judges who presided over courts-martial and decided criminal cases
  • A former United States Attorney who led federal prosecutions at the highest level

That depth of institutional insight is extraordinarily rare in military defense practice.

We understand how cases are charged.
We understand how judges evaluate credibility.
We understand how prosecutors assess risk.

That perspective informs every strategy decision we make.

A Firm Structure Designed to Win Complex Cases

Most military defense firms operate as individual practitioners.

National Security Law Firm operates as a coordinated litigation unit.

Significant cases are evaluated through our proprietary Attorney Review Board, where experienced attorneys collaborate on strategy before critical decisions are made.

You are not hiring one lawyer in isolation.

You are retaining the collective insight of a structured defense team.

Full-System Defense — Not Just Trial Representation

A court-martial rarely exists in isolation.

It can trigger:

  • Administrative separation proceedings
  • Boards of Inquiry
  • Security clearance investigations
  • Federal employment consequences
  • Record correction or discharge upgrade issues

National Security Law Firm uniquely operates across these interconnected systems.

We do not defend your case in a vacuum.

We defend your career.

Nationwide and Worldwide Representation

We represent service members:

  • Across the United States
  • Overseas installations
  • Every branch of the Armed Forces

Your duty station does not limit your access to elite civilian defense.

If you need a court martial lawyer, a UCMJ attorney, or a military defense lawyer, we can represent you wherever you are stationed.

4.9-Star Reputation Built on Results

Our clients consistently trust us with the most serious moments of their careers.

You can review our 4.9-star Google rating here.

We do not take that trust lightly.

The Difference Is Structural

When you hire National Security Law Firm, you are not simply hiring an attorney.

You are hiring:

  • Former decision-makers from the bench
  • Former prosecutors and JAG Officers who understand charging strategy
  • Federal-level trial leadership
  • A collaborative litigation structure
  • A firm built around federal and military systems

The government is organized.

Your defense must be stronger.

If your career, freedom, or future is at stake, you deserve a defense team that understands the system from every angle — and is prepared to challenge it.

Schedule a free consultation today.

National Security Law Firm: It’s Our Turn to Fight for You.